Midnight Escapades
by oh.holy.martel
Summary: AU. If Genis and Raine did not find a home in Iselia. Chased by Desians, bringing along both Lloyd and Colette, Raine is in over her head. She hasn't let that stop her yet. Of course, she didn't quite count on Yuan and Kratos, much less Forcystus.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, I've gone back and changed the ages. Lloyd is ten, Colette is nine, Genis is five, and Raine is seventeen. That's as close to canon as I can guess.**

**Thank you for pointing it out, tiger002. And for all of the amazing reviews. **

--

"… I'm hungry," Genis said, face pulled into a pout, lip twisting as he looked at the ground. "When do we get to stop again?"

Raine sighed. "We're almost to Iselia, Genis. We can stop there, and hopefully get something to eat. I still have some gald left from the last place."

"When are we going to stop, sis?" he asked, blue eyes clear and far smarter than his age. "I mean … for real? When are we going to stop living like this? Why didn't Mom want us?"

"Because we're half-elves." Raine knew how to be cold. She knew how to be calculating. She knew how to survive, albeit barely. She just didn't know how to break her brother's heart. "She couldn't look after us, so she abandoned us. She told me to take care of you. And the only way I can do that is to keep moving on. So people don't get suspicious." Raine's hand fisted into her dirty robe. "People don't like half-elves much."

"But why?" Genis scowled. "We're not that different. We're not monsters or anything."

"But that's the thing, Genis," Raine said gently. "That's what they think we _are, _because there's a bunch of half-elves called the Desians who steal and kill humans and do awful things to people. So everybody doesn't like half-elves. We have to pretend we're elves, and even then, people are wary around us. It's easier not to stay in anyplace too long."

"What about … Dad?" Genis managed, blinking hurriedly to hold back tears. "You said Mom was an elf. What happened to Dad? Did he not want us, too?"

"He wanted us," Raine assured him. "We used to live with him and Mom for a while, up until a few months after you were born. But we had to keep running then, too. And then Father died. And Mother abandoned us." She still hated her for it. Even though now, from experience, she knew it was hard. Having to fend for yourself and someone else, someone absolutely dependent on you, in a hostile world. Evidently too hard for her to do alone. "Come on, Genis. Enough resting. We're almost there. Didn't you say you were hungry?"

"I am hungry," Genis whined. "But my feet hurt, too."

So Raine scooped him up. It was easy, too much so. He was slight of build even among the elves. He was so small. She wasn't getting him enough to eat. "Well, then, let's take your mind off of it. Who was the hero of the Kharlan War?"

"Mithos," Genis muttered sulkily. "I don't want to study."

"It's a good distraction. What's 5 times 3?"

"I don't know. Multiplication doesn't make sense!"

"Remember, Genis, multiplication is just an easier way to write out addition. Let me say it this way: what's 5 + 5 + 5?"

"Five plus five is ten and ten plus five is … fifteen. It's fifteen! I did it! Yeah!"

"Good job. Now, what's 3 times 5?"

"Uh … fifteen! You just switched it around!"

"Very good. If you're fighting a wind monster, what type of elemental spells would you use against it?"

"Earth spells! Like Ground Dasher!"

"Try 'Stone Blast,' Genis. But yes, that is correct."

They grew nearer and nearer to the village, making Raine's stomach clench. The Ossa Trail had been hard, and there had been barely any rest in Izoold … the people there were still terribly suspicious of outsiders, especially since they hadn't come on any of the established ships. Stowaways. It hadn't been easy, sneaking food, finding places to hide, all the while living with the fear that if the people found them they'd simply toss them off board to sink or swim, just another couple of drowned half-elven rats. Raine had nightmares about it, when she allowed herself to sleep. Dad couldn't save her this time, and there was no way she could save Genis …

It had been easiest in Palmacosta. There were plenty of scraps and shadows in a big city, but there were plenty of other people who wanted them, too. Even the abandoned humans, the ones who lived on refuse and begged and stole, gave no mercy to half-elves. So they'd stowed away.

And now …

Iselia was about to become the same. But Genis was hungry.

Sadly, love wasn't edible, and neither was fear. If they were she'd never be hungry again.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" someone shouted, and the next second a hulking red blur crashed through the trees at them. Raine bit her lip as she nearly shrieked, hurriedly backing up and swaying with Genis still on her back. He dug his hands into her hair. The blur turned out to be a boy, wearing bright red, who had a more cheerful smile than Raine had _ever _seen pointed anywhere near her direction. "Are you going to the village? We hardly ever see travelers! Oh, yeah, I'm Lloyd. I live with my dad, he's a dwarf, a little ways that way." He pointed. "I was just going into the village. After school gets out I go play with Colette, when she doesn't have Chosen duties. That's why you came here, right? On a pilgrimage?"

"… No," Raine finally said, somehow finding her voice. She would have thought it had been shocked out to the other side of the ocean. "My brother and I are just travelers. We were looking for something to eat and possibly a place to stay the night. Nice to meet you, Lloyd. I'm Raine and this is my younger brother, Genis. Could you perhaps show us the way to the village?"

"Um, sure! I was just going there! And maybe you could stay at me and my Dad's house tonight!" Lloyd beamed. He looked up at Genis. "Wow, you're really little! How old is he, anyway?"

"I'm five, even though it looks like I've already learned more than _you_," Genis said, sticking out his tongue at him. "It's mine and my dad's house, stupid! How old are _you, _anyway?"

"Wow, you're really smart!" Lloyd's brow wrinkled in confusion. "I don't get it, though. I'm ten. My friend Colette just turned nine. How old are you, Raine?"

The question made her blink for a moment. How old _was _she? Mother and Father had never said … "I don't know. If I did, I don't remember. I'm not sure I even remember my birthday. I just know Genis's."

Lloyd looked shocked. "That's awful!" he said. "My dad doesn't know my exact birthday because he found me in the woods with my mom's body, but that doesn't mean we don't celebrate it! He just calls it the day he found me. And _everyone _celebrates Colette's birthday, but that's mostly because she's the Chosen, and when she turns sixteen it'll be the Day of Prophecy and she'll get to go on a journey and regenerate the world. I hope I get to go with her. Come on! I should introduce you." He started out into the forest completely confidently, and for the first time Raine noticed that on each side he had a sheathed sword. Genis reached over and tugged on one of his white ribbons. "Ow! Hey!"

"Sorry," Genis said, though from the way his voice sounded Raine could tell he wasn't particularly sorry at all. "I just wanted to see how well it was attached. I've never seen a boy who wears ribbons."

"Yeah, well, _I've _never seen a little boy with white hair who talks like you," Lloyd muttered. "Are you guys on your own?"

"Yes," Raine answered stiffly. "Our father is dead, and we have no idea what became of our mother. We're looking for a more tolerant place to settle down, where I can raise Genis. I wish I had the proper resources to teach him more …"

"Well, I guess he _is _really smart for a five-year-old," Lloyd replied, grinning again. "That's cool. Are you guys human then? It doesn't really look like it. You act a lot smarter than I've seen humans do. Are you elves? I've never seen an elf. Dad says they're basically extinct, and so does Phaidra, Colette's grandma."

"Yes, we're elves," Raine lied through her teeth, going with the only reasonable lie. "My mother taught me how to control my magic, and I've been teaching Genis. Sadly, people don't really think much of elves around here. They haven't been the most friendly. We've been traveling since my Mother disappeared in a forest a little outside Palmacosta."

"Wow," uttered Lloyd, eyes wide. "I've never met someone who's been to so many places! Is Palmacosta really a giant city?!? What are the boats like? Did you ride in one to get here? Is it exhausting, to travel so much? Did you ever sleep in the forest? Wait 'till I tell Colette about this! She's going to have to go on a journey, too, someday, so I bet she'd love to hear about what the places are like! Look, we're almost to the village!"

And indeed they were. They had apparently stumbled back across the road leading to the main gate, manned by bored-looking city militiamen, when suddenly a green blur hurled itself out of the trees on the other side and ran to Lloyd, jumping on him and licking his face. "Aw, Noishe," Lloyd groaned, trying ineffectually to push him off, "you know I hate it when you do that. Especially since it was your fault you ran off. Get off of me. Come meet Raine and Genis."

Noishe looked up, wagged his tail, and hopped off of him, trotting up to Raine and nudging his head under her hand in an invitation to pet him. Genis shrieked to be let down, wanting to play with the "doggy." It certainly didn't look like any dog she'd ever seen or heard of. For one thing, it was _green. _And was certainly the largest thing she'd ever seen. But it certainly _acted _like a dog. It looked like it was Lloyd's pet.

Raine let Genis down, where he cowered on the ground to the barrage of licks the dog directed at his face. "This is your pet? His name is … Noishe?"

"Yep," Lloyd said, nodding cheerfully. "Dad found me with him when I was a baby, and he's been my pet ever since. He comes with me every day when I travel to the village, but sometimes he runs off. He's afraid of monsters, the big coward. Like anything's much scarier than him." He snorted.

"Ah! Stop licking my face, you big mutt! You're so slobbery!" Genis cried. "Lloyd, make him get off me!"

"Noishe, stop!" Lloyd hurriedly intervened, shoving the dog away from him. "Bad dog," he chastened. "Don't jump on Genis."

"Should we head into the village now?" Raine asked, reminded of her grumbling stomach. "Not that it wasn't a pleasure to meet you, Noishe, I'm sure …" He twitched his nose at her, whining.

Lloyd frowned. "Sorry, Noishe," he said. "You knew where I was headed." He turned to face Raine and Genis's puzzled expressions. "Noishe isn't allowed in the village, for some reason, so he has to wait for me outside every day. We can see him again when I show you Dad's house. Come on. Colette's probably waiting for me. I bet she can't wait to meet you guys!"

He grabbed Genis's and Raine's hands and rushed them past the guards while Noishe whined and waited, not paying attention in the least to the men who looked at them as they went by the gate. Raine shivered. Just because Lloyd didn't care about their dirty clothing and bought their story about being elves didn't mean anyone else would. Being kicked out of a place was one thing. Being exposed to the public eye, unprotected in the middle, was another. But it was already too late for that.

"Colette!" Lloyd shouted, skidding to a stop in the center road and looking around. "Colette! Guess what!"

"Lloyd! You're here!" a blonde girl shouted happily, appearing from the right, wearing white-and-blue clothing in a style Raine was sure she'd seen once in a book. "I missed you! I – I mean … you were late …" She blushed and looked down.

Lloyd grinned broadly, not noticing anything wrong in the slightest. "I know, but look who I met on the way, Colette! This is Raine and Genis. They're elves. They came here all the way from Palmacosta! They're looking for something to eat and a place to sleep for the night. Wow, I just realized I'm hungry, too! Oh yeah, I didn't have a snack because I was playing with Noishe! Never mind. Do you think Dad would let them stay with us for the night?"

"I'm sure he would!" Colette chirped, apparently able to spout and understand information in the same impossibly speedy way Lloyd did. "Mr. Dirk's always so nice to me!" She turned her head, flushing. "Oh! I haven't introduced myself! I'm Colette, the Chosen, and I promise you I'll save the world someday! You're Raine and Genis? You're really elves? My grandma said that there weren't any left! This is amazing!"

Raine blinked unsteadily. Genis looked alarmed. Sadly it was up to her, as the older sibling, to be polite in formulate some sort of response. "Nice to meet you, Colette. You're Lloyd's friend, I presume? Don't worry, I haven't seen any elves for a long time either, not since my mother went missing. She … ahem … wanted to travel a bit."

"Oh!" Colette said, shocked. "That's sad. My mother died when I was little, so I guess I know what it's like to not have one around. But I have my father and my grandma, and the whole village. You've been traveling all alone? Genis is so little! It doesn't look very good for him …"

"Well, we don't really have much of a choice," Raine tried to say pleasantly, forcing the smile to stay plastered on her face. "No one really wants elves living near them. And, of course, we don't have parents."

"That's awful!" Colette gasped, looking horrified that something like it could happen anywhere in the world. "You have to stay here, then! The schoolteacher's house is open now, since he's decided to go teach at the Academy in Palmacosta, and I'm sure there would be a place for you in town. Since you're elves, I bet there's plenty of things you can do! I'll talk to Grandma about it and she'll talk to the Mayor!"

"Yeah!" Lloyd said, eyes lighting up. "Then you could teach school – you look real smart - and I could play with Genis and Colette! It'd be great! Can we go to your house, Colette? We could have a snack while we ask your grandma if it's okay."

"Sure!" she chirped. "Come on, Raine, Genis. You can come see my house." She grabbed Raine's arm and started to merrily drag her in the direction she'd first come from, leaving Lloyd to lead Genis and babble on to him excitedly. They were fiendishly nice people, albeit denser than the average and talkative enough for seven.

"Here it is," giggled Colette, pointing at a trim little house with plantlife growing over it and a little well in the corner. " This is where I live. Do you want to see my room?"

"Sure," Raine managed, still disconnected and disconcerted. "I'd love to."

Colette let go of her hand to push the door open, breezing in. "Hi, Dad! Is Grandma ho – " Her voice was cut off when she tripped and fell face-first into the floor. Raine looked down at her in shock, dropping down to her level. "Colette! Are you alright?" She felt so worried. It was strange, to feel this way for anyone except Genis.

Colette sat back up. "I – I'm fine," she said shakily, still smiling. "Don't worry. That happens a lot. I guess I'm just really clumsy. But come on! My room's just up the stairs." She got back up and led Raine through the kitchen and up them, completely forgetting about whoever she had been calling for.

"Well, here it is! Do you like it?"

"It's very … pretty." And pretty it was. Pretty, domestic, and neat, almost the way Colette herself was, but without her shy smile. Raine almost … liked it, not something she would have at all expected. "It looks like you. It has your taste."

"Thanks!" Colette beamed at her. "I'm so glad you like it. We should go downstairs now. Lloyd and Genis are probably already getting food from the kitchen, and I need to ask my dad if my grandma's here!"

"Of course." Raine followed her back down the stairs. "I really shouldn't leave Genis alone." Especially with Lloyd. No, she didn't mean it like that. More like, especially with Lloyd willing to babble out their life story to anyone who might have the brains to suspect there was more than it seemed to the story … it was hardly hole-proof.

"Uh-huh!" Colette nodded. How did she get to be so energetic? Really? Was it a side effect of the Mana Lineage, or just a natural condition? Raine would have liked to know.

"Hey, Colette!" Lloyd called from the table, biting into a sandwich. He chewed up the bite and swallowed. "Your dad said he'd go get your grandma from the temple for us, when I explained it to him. In the meantime, he said we could have sandwiches."

"They're reawy goo," Genis mumbled through a full mouth. "You shou ea un, Waine."

"And you should know better than to talk with your mouth full," Raine said reprovingly. "That's very kind of your father to fetch your grandmother for us, Colette. I'll be sure to thank him."

"I'm sure he'll be very grateful. Come on, Raine, let's eat!"

A while later, maybe a half an hour, when they had all sated their fill and fallen into playing 'Spiritua Says,' the two adults returned. Genis was in the middle of making them all paw at the air like puppies and bark, which caused somewhat of an awkward scene. Raine straightened immediately, blushing with self-consciousness. This may have been how Genis, Lloyd, and Colette should have been behaving, but not her.

The blonde old woman she assumed to be Colette's grandmother smiled. "Hello, children. Colette, Frank says you have something you want to speak to me about involving these children … ah, Genis and Raine?"

"Yes, Grandma," Colette told her, getting to her feet and smiling her widest, most excited smile. "I wanted to ask you if they could live in the old schoolteacher's house! And maybe Raine could replace him! She's really smart, and they're both elves! They've been traveling for a long time, though, since there aren't any elves left besides them." Her face fell. "Can they live in Iselia?"

Colette's grandmother – who looked to be a priestess, judging by the markings on her robes, and the mention of fetching her from the temple – smoothed her hands over her clothing and frowned a bit. "Well, I don't see why not," she said. "The teachings of the goddess Martel preach tolerance and giving to all living creatures, and there doesn't really seem to be a problem with it. The village will of course have to test you first to make sure you're up to the task of teaching, Raine, but if you're as smart as Colette says then there shouldn't be a problem. But the house may not be fit for children just yet. They'd need somewhere to stay for the night, most likely, before getting to work on it."

"Oh, that's okay!" Lloyd said. "They were already going to stay at my house for the night! And then we can help you guys work on the house tomorrow!"

"That's great!" Colette said. "I'm so glad you guys came here! Thank you so much, Grandma!"

The woman smiled. "Anything for you, Chosen, Colette."

Raine saw a sliver of pain in her eyes as she called her granddaughter that.

--

"So here's where you guys are sleeping tonight," Lloyd said, gesturing sheepishly. "This is my room. You guys can have the bed. I don't mind sleeping on the floor, or downstairs with Dirk."

"You and Genis could share it," Raine said instantly, unwilling to accept anything more than she had already been given but wanting the best for Genis, always and forever. "I could take a pallet. We're used to sleeping out-of-doors."

"Sis could have the bed on her own and we could sleep on the floor," Genis offered, rubbing his eyes against the drag of a full stomach and immense tiredness. "I've never slept on a bed anyway, so I wouldn't miss it."

"Genis." Raine bent down, sighing. "That's all the more reason you should. Five-year-olds need to sleep in beds and get regular meals."

"Fine." Genis pouted. "I'll sleep on it if you do, too. But otherwise I'll take the floor."

"Fine." Raine looked unsurely at Lloyd. "Are you really okay with us doing this … ?"

"Of course." Lloyd rubbed his head. "I sleep in my bed every night, and you guys haven't slept in one in ages. I'll get to sleep in it again tomorrow, when you guys sleep in your new house. It'll be fine. I can pretend it's an adventure."

"Then thank you very much, Lloyd," Raine told him gratefully. "I don't know how we can ever repay you and Colette, or her grandmother for that matter. You've done so much for us. I haven't slept somewhere like this since … leaving the elven village. Thank you so much."

"Aw, it's nothing. Come on, let's sleep. We've got a lot of stuff to do tomorrow! I'll just get my pallet."

Eventually they all fell asleep, Raine feeling safer and more comfortable than she had in a long while. So she was quite surprised when she felt herself awoken in the middle of the night. After all, why did it feel like there was danger in the air when she was so content?

Genis. His heat was gone. She glanced down and saw his pillow stuffed in the nook of her arm. He'd run out for some reason. Why?

He wouldn't have left a doppleganger if he was just out to the privy …

"Lloyd." She shook him awake; he knew the surrounding area better than she did. It would help her that much more when she went to search. "Lloyd, wake up."

"Gmnustwygonieaz …" he groaned, shaking his head and sitting up. "Whazzat?"

"Lloyd, Genis is missing. I don't know where he went."

Lloyd immediately went wide-eyed. "Genis? Missing? We have to go look for him!"

"Of course." Raine stood up. It was lucky she didn't have the luxury of pajamas – it made it easier to roll out of bed in the middle of the night. She frantically tousled her hair. "He left a pillow for me to hold and slipped out. I have no idea why. We have to go look for him."

"Right." Lloyd grabbed his swords and they started down the stairs. Every step seemed like a shriek and every shadow like a writhing form, either the predator or the prey. Dirk, Lloyd's father, was still slumbering peacefully in his bed on the ground floor, and they went around him and outside.

"Where do you think he would have gone?" Raine finally asked, holding her arms around herself. It was cold tonight. "I can't imagine – he doesn't know the area – Genis wouldn't just go out for a walk – "

A loud whine came from the right, making both of them spin to face it. "That's Noishe!" Lloyd gasped. "He must have followed Genis! Come on, he'll lead us to him!"

He charged into the darkness, Raine hurrying after him. She wouldn't have done it for anyone but Genis, with the way the trees in the forest looked and the way she was defenseless. But he was out there with only a dog, most likely in danger, almost certainly frightened and in trouble. And so she charged into the darkness after Lloyd.

They ran down the slope and then turned in direction with the whines, Raine running into Lloyd point-blank when he stopped short halfway down the path. "I remember where this path goes!" he said, in a tone of dawning, horrified realization. "It leads to the Desian Human Ranch!"

"Genis is there!" Raine gasped, to the point of panic by now. "Come on! He's got to be in danger!" They rushed on.

And now she could hear Genis's voice in contrast to Noishe. "I'm telling you, I'm not a spy! I'm not a Desian! G-get away from me! I want my sister!"

And someone else growled, "Lies. You're trying to incriminate Lord Forcystus. We're onto you. No one else would come this near to the ranch. Now, who are you working for? Lady Pronyma? Lord Kvar?"

Genis's voice came back to them, sounding even more frightened and frantic, "I don't know anything about them! P-p-please don't hurt me!"

"We'll hurt you if you don't start talking, kid," the same person snarled, sounding much closer. Raine, with her elven sight, could see their shapes in the dark. "Now, who are you working for?"

"He's not working for any of you filthy Desians! Leave him alone!" Lloyd shouted, drawing his swords and charging at the closest one menacing Genis. "He's an elf, anyway!"

Raine tuned out the rest of the conversation as she rushed to Genis, dragging him back as she frantically tried to find anything wrong with him. He was largely unhurt, but she healed his minor scrapes and bruises anyway. "First Aid!" Meanwhile, the Desian and Lloyd were still having an insult-off match, which would probably escalate into something a lot more dangerous soon, but she couldn't bring herself to more than distantly care. In the background Noishe whimpered, retreating to the edges of her vision and disappearing.

"Sis … you're here," Genis mumbled, his dirt-streaked face creased with fear.

"Of course I'm here," Raine snapped. "I'm your big sister. I'm always going to be here, even when you do stupid things like this. Now stand up. We might need your magic if it comes to a fight, to get us all out safely."

"You're awful uppity, brat," the Desian growled, drawing his shortsword. "Don't you know about your precious non-aggression treaty? You're not supposed to be by the ranch."

"And you're not supposed to terrorize innocent people for no good reason!" Lloyd cried out. "Especially not my friends. What did he ever do to you? Typical of you Desians – trying to torture a five-year-old!"

"Five or not, he was snooping and he's an enemy spy!" the Desian yelled, making the others give him looks. Raine understood. It was slightly ridiculous. Genis wasn't an enemy spy, just a five-year-old half-elf out of bed when he shouldn't have been. She'd thought the Desians, being half-elves, would have been smarter. "You must be too! Attack him! Take them all prisoner!"

He rushed Lloyd, who parried with his wooden swords and thrust at him, yelling "SONIC THRUST!" The remaining three rushed towards her and Genis. Raine stood in front of him, looking to the first one and calling out "Photon!" The ball of light formed around his chest and made him collapse to the ground, gasping. But there were still two more.

"FIRE BALLS!" Genis shouted, hitting the other two and making them stagger back. He started casting again as they grimly kept coming forward. "Aqua edge!"

"Ow!" Lloyd groaned. Raine swiveled immediately. He was hurt, a wound to the side. A scratch that made the Desian grin with his blood-wet blade.

"First Aid!" she called again, feeling the slightest tug on her mana. Lloyd's side bloomed and healed afresh as the Desian screamed in rage and rushed him, Lloyd once again successfully getting back in the fight. "Wind Blade!" Genis shouted behind her, but she could hear in his ragged voice that he was getting tired from so much offensive magic.

She whirled and looked at them, or rather at the only one left standing, who was less than five feet away from them by now and looking murderous, shouting, "PHOTON!" he dropped, light choking him as he writhed. Lloyd's triumphant yell cut through they air before they had time to come and help him. He stepped away from the bleeding body of the Desian, looking at it in disgust. "Come on, Raine and Genis. Let's get out of here."

"Let's," Raine agreed with a shudder, glancing at the gate. The height of the walls mocked her. And the number of sentries … there was something she was missing, she felt sick with the knowledge of it. But it didn't matter. Genis was safe. "And Genis, you can tell us both in the morning why you decided to go out wandering at night in such a dangerous place."

"Y-yes, Raine," he stammered. "I – I'm sorry."

"Good," she said wearily. "We all need some sleep. Wait – where did Noishe go?"

"Whine." Noishe emerged from the trees with his muzzle bloodied, looking at both Genis and Lloyd anxiously.

Lloyd grinned. "You were taking care of some enemies for us further on, huh, Noishe? Thank you, bud. Now if I could only get you to fight monsters."

Noishe whimpered.

Genis giggled, digging into his fur as they began the walk home. Raine almost smiled. Her brother was safe, which meant she'd done her job and fulfilled her promise once again.


	2. Chapter 2

"So here it is," Colette's grandmother said, who Frank had called Phaidra. "You children can take a look at it, decided what you want to keep and what you need to replace. If there's any problems, you can come and let Frank know. He'll be at the house. I need to go to the temple."

"Thank you, Grandma!" Colette chirped, giving her a hug that almost bowled her over. "Thank you so much! We'll have a great time!"

"You're welcome, Colette." She left. Genis shrank. Raine had decided that the first part of his punishment was to tell everyone what he had done. Which meant now Colette got to hear firsthand about last night's dangerous escapades.

"Don't you have something to say to everyone, Genis?" she prodded him. "About what happened last night? Why you were out of bed?"

"Genis was out of bed?" Colette asked, face full of confusion. "Why was he out at night? What happened?"

"W-well," little Genis stammered, shrinking, "I was … awake. I wanted to go … explore a little. So then I wandered down the path and Noishe caught up to me, and – I saw this big gate thing and these guards surrounded me and started yelling at me for being a spy and threatening to hurt me if I didn't tell them who I was working for … and … and they were about to when Lloyd charged in, and Raine came and got me and healed me. Then the one guard attacked Lloyd and the other three started for us, and we knocked them unconscious and went back home. I'm really sorry for causing trouble." He hung his head. "I didn't know it was the human ranch. I – I … I'm sorry …"

"That's okay!" Colette practically shouted, bending down and hugging him tightly. "We're just glad you're safe! You shouldn't go off and explore at night! It's really dangerous around here!" Genis stammered something no one could really here, blushing at the contact. Lloyd grinned like a proud father. "Same old Colette."

"Indeed." Raine was lucky for her Mother's teachings then, all her insistence on politeness. She'd need it if she was going to be living here with such frank people. She sighed. "I guess the scare you had was punishment enough for now, Genis. Let's take a better look at the rest of the hou – "

BAM! The ground quaked for a second at the sound of a giant explosion from outside. Colette gasped, breaking away from Genis. "What was that?" Lloyd shouted.

Raine ran to the window, looking out through it. The schoolhouse they'd shown her earlier, the one she was to teach in, was in flames. So was the house next to it. There were Desians outside! A few had cornered a group of the villagers at the corner. Lloyd and Colette had come to look at the window, too, and Colette was the first to cry out. "We have to help them!"

"Of course," Raine said, looking around for a more reliable weapon than merely her magic in case someone got a little too close to her. "Genis, if you're coming stay by me and don't let any of them get too close to you, you understand? Colette, are you sure you should go out? You don't have any weapons, and you are, after all, the Chosen …"

She nodded, biting her lip. "I have weapons at my house, if we can get there. But we have to help them! I'm the Chosen! I can't run away!"

"… Fine," Raine muttered, picking up a wooden rod that had been left in a corner of the room and hefting it experimentally. It would do, she hoped. "We need to get out there. But be cautious."

She opened the door and they stepped out onto the street, shouts and clamor filling the air. The group of Desians was still terrorizing the other Iselians. Lloyd and Colette rushed over, her and Genis just behind them. A few of the people looked hurt. Raine grimaced. "Lloyd. I need you to distract the focus of the Desians so Genis and I may pass through them and I can heal the trapped people. Are you ready?"

"Yeah!" he said, and then he charged, yelling at the top of his lungs, a miniature dervish. Raine grabbed Colette to keep her from following him without weapons and ran them through the Desians, Genis pumping his little legs frantically to keep up, her beating off with a staff anyone who looked at them. When they got to the other side she released Colette and gave her a little push, luckily not enough to make her trip.

"Go on. Go get your weapons so you can help Lloyd."

"Of course!" she nodded and ran off. Raine prayed she didn't trip or run into Desians.

She rushed over to the group of trapped humans, running to the wounded and casting "First Aid!" again and again. They weren't too badly off, able to stand after a healing and thank her profusely. She told them to get out of here, out of the village until the Desians had passed. And then Raine turned back to Lloyd and the Desians.

"Icicile! Cool! I learned a new spell!" Genis shouted. There were only two left, and Lloyd was hard at work, bleeding again. It was a wonder he could fight so well at all, armed with only his wooden blades.

Sighing, Raine pointed her staff. It made her magic a lot easier, surprisingly. "First Aid!" Light bloomed, and he charged into the fight with renewed fervor. "Photon!"

"Ray Thrust!" A chakram came slicing through the air past Raine's head, hitting one of the Desians. "Ring Whirlwind!"

"Air Thrust! Hahaha!"

"Demon Fang! Sonic Thrust! SWORD RAIN!"

Well, that just about did it. At least there was nothing more for her to heal.

Suddenly, there was another explosion. Raine looked around in a panic. "It's coming from the main square!" Lloyd shouted. He and Genis dashed off, Colette sprinting behind them.

"Children, all of them," Raine snorted, trying to run with a staff in her hand. "Is there any harm in taking a look before charging straight into a situation?" Nevertheless, she found herself running.

The main square was in a face-off between the villagers and the Desians, a man Raine assumed to be a figure of authority at the head of the townspeople quivering in either fear or indignation and a half-elf – Desian – with turquoise hair, an eyepatch, and a cannon-arm fronting the others. He growled, swinging his arm. "Release the two half-elven children to us and the human Lloyd Irving, at once! They have violated the non-aggression treaty!"

"Lloyd!" the Mayor gasped, as the crowd behind him began muttering about Lloyd, saying terrible things about him because apparently he was "stupid" and "raised by a dwarf." "What do you know about this?"

"It isn't true!" Lloyd protested, stepping out into the open unprotected, head raised defiantly. He pointed his sword at the Desian. "You're lying! Your men tried to hurt Genis even though he was barely _near _your ranch and now you're just being unfair!"

The Desian was barely listening to him. He was looking at Lloyd's wrist. What was so … Raine's heart sank. She'd seen those things somewhere, even besides the Desians. They were terribly important. Humans weren't supposed to have them, not to use. "So you do have it …" he muttered to himself. Then he drew himself up and addressed the Mayor. "Very well, then, this is Lloyd. Now what about the two half-elves you've been harboring?"

"Half-elves?" the Mayor gasped, blinking in shock. "We aren't harboring any half-elves! We'd never take in Desian scum! Surely you must be mistaken!"

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "I saw them. They fought. Do you know of any human children with silver hair that can heal and use offensive magic? I want them _procured, _please." He brandished the cannon more fiercely.

Lloyd practically shook with rage. "Why you little - " he snarled. "Don't you _dare _talk about Raine and Genis that way! They aren't even half-elves, unlike _you!_ Desian scum!"

"Don't address Lord Forcystus in such a manner!" another Desian cried, running forward to take a swing at Lloyd. This "Forcystus" gestured him back. "Inferior being …" he muttered.

"Get away from Lloyd!" Genis moved forward, shouting. "I'm the one you want!" Raine felt her heart spasm. Her palms twitched. That little idiot! That stupid little idiot! If they got out of this safely she was going to … _smack _him! But first she had to get him back safe.

Forcystus glanced down at him in amusement. " Hello, little one," he said, adopting entirely too friendly a tone for the situation. "I'm glad to see you're brave, at least, apart from being an excellent caster. I apologize for what my guards tried to do while you were wandering by the Ranch last night. Now, where's your pretty sister?"

"Leave Raine alone!" Genis shouted. He glared at him. "Or I'll cast Lightning on you!"

"Oh, really? And on all of my men?" Lord Forcystus leaned back gesturing. "You know what'll happen to the village if I don't get what I came here for. We need one more person."

"… Raine, what are we going to do?" Colette whispered, quivering at her side. "We can't let Lloyd and Genis do this … and you can't go out there … but … the village … everyone's going to get hurt …"

"Well, then," Raine said, straightening her shoulders, "I'll just have to go out. Maybe we can escape before we get there, or at least see what he wants to do with us. Hopefully it won't come to a fight."

Forcystus was still threatening the masses. "Well?" He looked around. "Do I need to hurt someone?" He glanced down at Genis. "Doesn't the little healer want to join her brother?"

"That's enough!" Lloyd snapped, aiming both of his swords at him. "Leave Raine and Genis alone! I mean it! Demon Fang!" He sent a shockwave across the ground, which Forcystus dodged easily.

"Someone's getting impudent," he remarked. "Maybe he'll be a little less so with his Exsphere gone after he's gotten a taste of the cells. I won't ask again. Surely you people don't have any use for a half-elven girl."

"I told you …" Lloyd growled, stepping forward. "She's not …"

"That's enough, Lloyd." At least Raine could still control her voice, and her legs still obeyed her command. Genis gasped, and the townspeople murmured in outrage. "We are, I'm afraid. It's easier to lie than submit to all of the prejudice. Now, what do you want with Genis, Lloyd, and myself, _Lord _Forcystus?"

He laughed. "Such spirit. I merely wanted to save you and your brother from these deplorable humans and apologize for last night, that's all, as well as offer you temporary hospitality at my Ranch, seeing as you have nowhere else to go. Men, seize them." He scooped down and grabbed Genis with his good arm, holding him tightly as he struggled and tried to cast, subsiding to cry for her. "Try not to do them too much harm."

"Why you … you bastard!" Lloyd shouted, parrying the attacking guards and jumping back. "Let Genis go!"

"Photon!" Raine cast on Forcystus. He grimaced and dropped to his feet, unable to do anything but let go of Genis, who ran to her. She glared at the other guards. "Photon! Barrier!"

"Fireball!" Genis shouted. "Stone Blast! LIGHTNING!" No one had managed to take care of them yet.

"Augh!" she heard Lloyd cry out, and rushed to turn.

"Lloyd!" A Desian whipmaster had crept up the back, hitting him hard as he fell and the others took his blades. "Photon!" One dropped to his knees, and the rest scattered temporarily. "Genis, don't you dare move from this spot. First Aid!" Light bloomed from her staff and on him, but it was only a temporary measure if she couldn't see the wound. "Cover me. I need to get to him." Raine ran to his side and knelt, hearing the sizzle of Genis's casting overhead. "First Aid!"

"T-thanks, Raine," Lloyd stammered, groaning and putting a hand on his back. "I hate the Desians. And … I don't mind that you and Genis are half-elves."

"How can you not mind?" Raine asked, shocked. Honestly, how? In the same breath he'd just cursed the Desians, the people who'd just hurt him that badly. "We're of the same blood they are. And you have every right to hate them."

"Blood, shmud," Lloyd said, fishing around for his swords. He smiled. "You just healed me, didn't you? And you love Genis. You don't hate humans, either, so how could I hate you? Now, come on. Let's whip these guys!" He jumped up and started attacking again. Raine backed up a little. Genis had done his job, but all the same, she'd feel better when she got back to him –

"Enough of this! CYCLONE!" someone shouted, and Raine dropped to her knees and rolled as wind howled around her, whipping at her clothes and trying to tear her staff from her grip. Lloyd's blades were torn from him and he was thrown off-balance, skidding backwards and landing in the dirt. Genis flew through the air and landed at the feet of Forcystus, who picked him up again and gestured to one of the Desians still remaining behind him. He offered a gag, which they quickly put around Genis's mouth as he squirmed and struggled. Lloyd made his way to his feet only to be grabbed by two of the Desians, marched into submission as they quickly hit him on the head with the sword hilt and he was knocked unconscious. That's Raine realized, left her. "Pho – "

"Wind Blade!" Forcystus snarled. It snatched the air from her lips and tore at her clothes, throwing her to the ground. She gasped for a second, chest bruised. Now more Desians were coming at her. She couldn't hurt him while he had Genis, but … Mother had doen this once …

"Ray!"

It worked, amazingly, even though it was weaker than the one Mother had used that time. The rainbow light shot out at the Desians, making them fall to her knees as she ran to the side, turning to Forcystus even as a gust of wind shot past her. "Photon!" It was enough to make him reach his knees, but no more. He didn't drop Genis. The other Desians started getting up.

She couldn't win this fight, but if she were to be captured … Lloyd and Genis wouldn't have _any _chance …

"Forgive me," she muttered. "I'll break you out there." And then she ran, dodging more wind, hearing his shout as he ordered the Desians after her, hearing the shocked cries of the townspeople and one muffled shout from Genis. His sister had never abandoned him before. He was going to be so hurt by this. But Raine would always do what was best for him. And that would be getting him out.

--

Forcystus watched after her, paying no heed to the struggling child pinned by his arm. "Smarter than I thought she would be. But she'll never break into the Ranch …" He shrugged. "They'll capture her then, anyway. So I'll see her soon enough." He glanced down at the little boy. "Genis, was it? I'm sure your sister will come for you very soon, but until then, you'll have to put up with my hospitality. I'm afraid I can't release children without the presence of a parent or guardian. Drreft, take him, please. We need to get back to the Ranch." He strode off, eyes boring a hole in his back.

It was the first time he'd seen half-elves glare at him in a very long time. He was, after all, their hero.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I apologize about re-uploading the chapters yesterday. I had to fix the ages. Here's a longer chapter, to make up for just the village scene last time. This is Raine's storming of the ranch. Thanks, once again, for the wonderful reviews. **

--

Genis stopped struggling after a while, but only because he realized it was no good. They would have to take the gag off of him eventually. And then … well, just you wait. He'd get out to his sister. And save Lloyd too. Sis … Genis pushed the thought aside. He couldn't keep depending on her like this, couldn't be so weak. He should be glad she was safe, instead of being taken prisoner, too. But …

He was all alone. He couldn't remember the last time she hadn't been there. Except for one, when she had gone to scavenge … and bullies had come. His first spell.

Genis planned to outdo himself this time.

It was all-too-quick before they were at the ranch. The prisoners were already working, forced to push heavy blocks and do pointless things for no reason. Genis felt sick. It was disgusting. How could half-elves do this? It was barbaric. It was sickening.

"Put the human in one of the cells," Forcystus said. "Take our little guest here to one of the spare rooms. Give him the mana suppressant we use on the ranch hands when their Exspheres go out of control prematurely. Bring him dinner, too. Not the inferior slop we feed to the experiments. Something from the canteen. Keep a steady watch. I'll come visit him, most likely, so you'd better not be slacking. Dismissed," he barked.

Genis was hurried down another hallway as other Desians barked orders, eventually dumped on a bed. Another Desian ripped off his gag and forced a potion to his throat before he had a chance to cast anything, forcing it down his throat. He could feel the effects immediately.

His mana … they'd … _those _–

After that they left, locking the door behind them. And Genis began to plot his escape. It was a much smarter thing to do then moping and missing his sister.

--

Raine, of course, hadn't abandoned them. She'd been following the entire time. In fact, she'd been close enough to see the entry code, which was nice, but she could see the surveillance cameras. That wasn't a good idea.

There had to be a back entrance, she was sure. Of course, there probably _were _only two entrances, and they'd be watching both of them …

Either way, they'd be expecting her. Unless she didn't _come _as here, which was … weren't there female Desians? She could always knock one out and steal a uniform. Surely one would come out on patrol. Raine would just have to wait for it.

Eventually, one did. Patrols were only two people in daylight hours. Raine drifted close enough to hear, so she'd be able to imitate the female well enough when the time came.

"I hate going on patrol during the day," the woman grumpled, swinging her spear around her arm provocatively. "I mean, why do we even have the need? We have a non-aggression treaty with the vermin, much's the shame, and the Renegades nearly always come from inside. I hate missing time when I could be disciplining the inferior slime. Anyway, we have a surveillance system."

"Stop whining, Celiore," the male guard said tiredly, bored, not even bothering to take his short sword out of its sheath. "Do you want someone to attack? Besides, I'd be worried about catching something, among the pit with all of the inferior vermin. We ought to feel lucky for being able to breathe in the fresh air. And you were just complaining of sunburn the other day. There's shade here."

"I hate you, Marcormas. And I wouldn't be in the sun at all if we were just patrolling the corridors."

Celiore and Marcormas. Celiore sounded like an easy person to imitate. Her hair was even silver, nearly the same shade. She just had to lure her away …

Raine moved away further back and slipped and fell, making a rustling noise. She jumped up, panicked, and ran to hide behind something. Unbelievably, she heard Celiore say, "Let me go check it out. It's probably just a stupid animal, but if it is, at least I can kill it. Keep going and I'll catch up." And Marcormas assented. After all, what could it be?

Raine hit her on the head with her staff as the Desian came by, quickly coming out of the bushes as she groaned and crumpled to the ground. She stripped her of her clothes and rolled hers up to hide in the pouch on the Desian's belt, deciding that no, the Desian shouldn't have them because it would be an obvious sign she was there and yes, she was going to want to change out of the deplorable uniform the second she was done. She took the spear and abandoned her staff a little ways away, because she couldn't think of any way to hold onto it, vowing to come back for the thing she'd grown fond of as she hurried in the direction of her "partner" while trying to adjust her voice and walking style. The uniform really wasn't covering enough. How did the Desians _work _in these things, much less fight and sneer?

There was a thing on her wrist, too, one she'd seen the other Desians had, set in a band. Raine took it and slid it over her wrist. They'd spot her in an instand if she didn't have it, whatever it was. She made her way back after that.

"Well, I'm back. It was just a stupid squirrel. The thing ran away before I could kill it," Raine said, trying to make her voice sound hard, light, arrogant, the way she'd heard it from Celiore. "I can't believe it. I'm going to be taking quite a bit out of the prisoners. We don't have to go around another time, do we?" Raine couldn't believe she could sound this way, so callous, so careless. Changing the subject from inflicting pain to whining. She couldn't believe she could do it. But her face took to the smirk naturally, because there was no way on this earth she would blow her cover. This was for Genis and Lloyd, after all.

Marcormas, apparently, didn't notice anything different about her. Either he was lazy or she was more convincing than she thought. "Actually, I'm assigned to watching the prisoners and you're on independent corridor patrol," he said, smirking a bit, as he fingered the hilt of his sword and watched the woods. "You don't get to play with the rats until tomorrow, Celiore, not after the one you killed last time. Maybe it's time to think about curbing your bloodlust. Anyway, here we are. Let's check to see if anyone's in this entrance …" He moved a patch of earth and typed in a passcode, muttering, "three four-four nine … I think that's it" under his breath, as he then opened the door. They peered down it. "Nope. No one there. Same as always. I swear, the likelihood of anyone even knowing about it is zero to nothing. Come on. Let's finish circling the perimeter." He closed it again, auto-locking it, and they started off again, Raine grumbling about the sun and the trees and her schedule occasionally just to keep up her façade.

Apparently it worked, because they got in without a hitch, went past the prisoners (she grinned and muttered "I'll be playing with you tomorrow, inferior worms") to Marcormas's great amusement, and he left her at the entrance to the base. She went inside. Solitary patrolling of the corridors? Today must be turning in her favor. It was the optimal job for locating Genis and Lloyd.

She met two Desians going the other way to loop around, and they were talking about the "fun" they'd nearly had this morning, terrorizing the rabble. One was saying, "And then Lord Forcystus handed the brat to me and told me to put him in a guest room and suppress his mana, with a guard outside the precious little thing's door. Why is he bothering to keep it, anyway? Either conscript him or let the poor brat go. He's too young anyway. And then he orders _good _food for him – from the canteen, not the usual slop – to be delivered, and says he'll be coming to visit. The other one, the one with the Exsphere he was so concerned about, just got stuck in a cell. I heard someone else is going to come and get him in a couple of days."

"I can't believe he didn't let us burn the village," the other said, sounding sulky. "Or take a few of them with us. I mean, they did violate the treaty, didn't they? It doesn't matter who did it. I swear, sometimes it seems like Lord Forcystus is growing soft. We aren't even allowed to torture the prisoners here unless they do something wrong."

"Hello, Celiore," the first guard said, nodding to Raine, which led her to believe she really _did _look a lot like this one woman in uniform. "Glory to the coming age of half-elves. You're on watch, too? You must hate that."

"Of course," she snorted, trying to think of what Celiore might say while puzzling over his introductory phrase. "I'm not out among the vermin until tomorrow. Then they'll get a vicious weeding. I heard you discussing this morning's little bit of fun in the village. What do you think he even wants a little boy and a kid with an Exsphere for? Why hasn't he just removed it yet, and slaughtered the little rat?" She hated to talk about Genis and Lloyd like this, but she above all knew the importance of information. She could get a lot out of these people before they so much as suspected anything of her.

"Apparently it was some higher-up project and he had to contact Lord Yggdrasill about it," the Desian answered blithely, raising his hands in a _what-do-I-know _gesture. "He's waiting for someone to retrieve it and apparently they need to question the rat, too, so no fun for us, unfortunately. He's probably not even going to be executed, unfortunately. I don't know _what _in the world's going on with the little brat. I think Lord Forcystus just feels pity for him, hiding out in a village of humans and claiming them as friends. Maybe he's going to make him join."

Raine forced herself to sigh lightly. "Well, that's too bad about the execution. Maybe we can incite a revolt among the prisoners and execute a few of them anyway. I guess we need to get back to patrolling. I'll see you later."

"Goodbye," the other one said, and the pair continued down the hallway. "We'll probably see you at lunch if you're done patrolling by then."

"Looking forward to it."

At least now she knew more about where Lloyd and Genis would be. The problem was, who to go to first … Genis didn't sound like he would be harmed or moved immediately, but she wanted to go to him. She didn't want Forcystus to poison him against humans, after all she'd taught. And they'd notice Lloyd. She could hide Genis somewhere more easily, and then break Lloyd out of his prison cell. There was supposed to be a guard on Genis's cell, but if she could just get in to give him lunch and explain it to him they could knock them out easily enough, especially with her new spear. So that was decided. Now she only had to find it.

Raine wandered through the corridors for a while. There were red force-heating things that gave her a nasty burn once, which she was glad nobody saw, but it was easy to heal and if you timed it correctly they all missed easily. She came upon no one during the time.

Until, of course, she encountered Forcystus coming down a corridor and he stopped to greet her.

He knew what she looked like … ! Raine bowed her head hurriedly. "Lord Forcystus. Glory to the coming age of half-elves."

"Glory to Lord Yggdrasill," he replied, which she filed away for further knowledge as a response. "Oh, Celiore? I need someone to take the boy we captured today lunch. Get something at the canteen for him. He's in the wing where we keep the guest rooms. And he's off-limits for punishment, no matter what he does."

She bowed her head again, trying to sound surly about it. "Yes, Lord Forcystus." She hated calling him that.

"Good. I trust you'll do your duty well guarding and disciplining the prisoners tomorrow." He nodded at her and left.

Raine didn't dare to breathe a sigh of relief. They were both half-elves. He might hear it. She couldn't believe he didn't suspect something. She couldn't believe she'd run into him and escaped unscathed, let alone with the job she most wanted.

Eventually she did find the canteen, getting in line for a tray of food and grumbling to her fellow linemates about having to get food for the "little brat." She made sure to get plenty of food, though, for Genis. After which, it was a lot easier to find the guest wing, seeing as she'd already searched through most of the ranch. There was only one door, obviously, being guarded. She made polite chit-chat with the guards for a second, proffering the tray of food as evidence, before clonking them both over the head with her spear. This way she'd get to talk to Genis, even if they did have to work faster.

Raine opened the door and saw him sitting on his bed and staring at the wall sullenly, barely even bothering to look at her. "Get away from me." He tucked his knees in. "I don't wanna eat."

"'Wanna' isn't a word, Genis," Raine said, putting down the tray and taking off her helmet to his stuned expression. She smiled, going over to him and wrapping him in her arms. "You didn't think I would come for you and Lloyd? Of course I did. But we have to escape quickly. We need to get Lloyd out of his cell and get out of her. I know of a back way."

"Sis … you came," he sniffed, rubbing his eyes to keep from crying. "I know I shouldn't be like this. Of course you did. They made me drink a potion. I can't use my magic. That's why I didn't break out."

Raine was furious. Those filthy Desians, daring to take away her brother's strengths because they weren't strong enough to hold him without it. She rose, setting him down. "No matter. Just try to get out of sight if we see someone else in the hallway, or I'll have to knock them out. I do have this spear now. Come on. We need to get Lloyd." They started down the hallway, leaving the unconscious Desians and the tray of food behind, though she had to put the helmet back on. It was much quicker to the specialized prison cells, all of which were empty except for Lloyd. Genis quickly hid around the corner. There was only one guard watching him, looking bored.

Raine walked up. The guard looked at her, asking "What are you doing here? Is my watch up already?"

"I'm not sure. They just said that there was a rat with an Exsphere taken, so I wanted to get a look at him. She peered in at Lloyd. Apparently this guard didn't know Celiore. "He doesn't look like much, does he?" Lloyd glared at her, lip quivering ferociously. This disguise must be better than she thought. "Does he do anything?"

The Desian came to stand beside her, looking at his shortsword ruefully and then at her spear. "Maybe if you poke him. I haven't checked. Why don't you try?"

"Certainly," Raine said, hefting her spear up and hitting him with the butt of it. He crumpled like a sack of potatoes. She started working on the cell controls, which was really the simplest thing. "You can come out now, Genis."

He emerged from around the corner. "Great job, sis!"

Lloyd looked up again. "Wait … Raine?"

"The one and only." The cell door swung open, and she let him out. "The uniform I borrowed. We need to get out of here. Do you know where they put your weapons? It would help if you could fight."

"They put them in a guard room across the hall, I think," Lloyd said, frowning in concentration. "I was sort of waking up by the time they threw me in here. Come on. I think I can show you where it is."

They walked down the corridor a little ways and he pointed at it. "Stay out of sight," Raine told them, before opening the door and going in. Luckily, nobody was there. She stuck her head out the door and called out to Lloyd. "They're here, but it looks like they have better weapons. You should come look."

"Okay," he said, coming over to her. He took a steel pair that looked far sturdier, swinging them experimentally. "Great. Now let's get out of here! Where was the exit?"

"Two hallways over," Raine said, trying to remember. Her mental map of the fortress was a little shaky. "I think so, anyway. We should be to around the back half of the base by now. Come on. We need to get out of here."

They found the corridor she recognized without finding any Desians except one, who they hid successfully for. "Here. I have to type in a passcode." She did, and they went up the stairs and out."

"Wow. I didn't think the escape attempt would actually work, even with your disguise."

Raine turned. "Forcystus. I thought you recognized me."

"I approve of your enterprising plan, Miss Raine." She supposed he'd overheard either Lloyd or Genis saying her name, back at the village. It made her shiver. "Even though I'm not sure I like you interfering with my men. Or women, if that is the case. You do look remarkably like Celiore. I'm sure you used that to find out some things about my organization."

"Lloyd, Genis, start running." She didn't hear them go. She turned to glare at them, knowing Forcystus was watching in amusement. "I mean it. We can't defeat him, do you understand? You can't use your magic, Genis, and Lloyd, you are unused to those blades. He's a Desian Grand Cardinal, obviously powerful. We can't hope to take him on."

"Of course you can't," Forcystus agreed. "But I'd still like you to all come back willingly. I don't dare risk harming you. I really shouldn't have used Lloyd as bait, seeing as he's far too valuable for that, but I had to see what you would do since you escaped be back at the village. I admire your tactics. Simple but foolproof. But Pronyma is coming to fetch Lloyd and the Angelus Project in a few hours, so I need him back. So I'll just recollect Genis." He started to move towards him, Genis shrinking, and Raine's vision contracted. She could feel the spell the mana was forming into, one she'd only used once.

"Ray!" It hit him. He staggered back. She ran, Lloyd starting as well, scooping up Genis and dropping her spear behind her. She ran when the sounds of pursuit finally started and when they faded, knowing that someone with such a disproportionate cannon arm as Forcystus wouldn't be able to keep it up long. Still they ran.

Lloyd collapsed when they got in view of a little house. "This is my dad's. I live here. But they'll probably come here first."

"So we'll have to leave," Raine said. "At once. Gather our provisions and go. But first, do you know what this is?" She showed him her wrist. "I took it off the Desian I impersonated."

"That's an Exsphere," Lloyd said, frowning in concentration. "Like mine. With a key crest. They all wear them, too. But Dad said mine was special, because my mother took it and escaped from the Ranch. You should keep it. They make you stronger, and amplify your abilities and stuff."

"Then I will." She sighed. Quite a lot had happened today, hadn't it? "We'll have to find someplace to sleep in the forest. You should talk to your father, Lloyd – we'll need some supplies. I'll try to see if I can heal your mana in a second. I need to change out of this."

Lloyd went inside. Genis blinked. Suddenly he hugged her. "Thanks for coming for me, sis."

She hugged him back, tightly. Raine had rescued him after all. "Always, Genis. I will always come after you."


	4. Chapter 4

Raine had been walking through most of the night, fleeing with a few scant supplies, Noishe to carry them, and a downtrodded Lloyd and sleepy Genis to care for, growing tired herself but refusing to stop because it wasn't enough distance, nowhere near, and she would not lose her brother and Lloyd to Forcystus again, this time permanently. Raine refused to let that happen. She'd worked so hard to teach Genis not to hate humans …

Well, he seemed to dislike the Desians as well now, at the very least. That would stop him from romanticizing them. She only hoped that the mana suppressant wore off while he slept on her back as quickly as possible. It would be hard to defend him with only she and Lloyd to fight and, of course, he would feel terrible about feeling so helpless.

There were more problems, of course. She was now on the run again, this time from her own kind, bearing two more to look after and someone who couldn't keep his mouth shut and wasn't used to the hardship at that. It was terrible that she'd gotten him involved in this. He was still only a boy, after all, and seemed younger than Genis in some ways.

They were both so young. Genis could have grown up with Lloyd and Colette in Iselia, peacefully playing there. She could have been a teacher, bestowing knowledge on bright, enquiring young minds. Reading. Sleeping in a bed. Watching her brother grow up strong.

Too late. She was, after all, a half-elf being hunted. They'd run and they'd hide if she wanted either boy to survive into adolescence.

Lloyd stumbled and fell drowsily, Noishe just managing to prop him up with an earnest whine of concern. Raine sighed. There was no way he could go on with his own power and she certainly couldn't carry the both of them. They'd have to stop. They'd certainly gone far enough to rest for at least a while.

"We'll be stopping here, Lloyd," she informed him wearily, sinking down and gently laying Genis's slumbering form beside her. "We've gone as far as we can for now. I'll take first watch."

"Okay," he muttered, slumping to the ground and curling up. "G'night."

"Goodnight," Raine told him, voice fond. He really was a good-hearted boy.

She glanced at Noishe, who was standing there and uncomfortably shifting under the weight of his packs, giving her a look from the most pitiful pair of eyes she'd ever seen.

"Come here, then," she told him, and proceeded to unfasten them. "There. Thank you for carrying our supplies."

Noishe whined happily and licked her hand. Raine sighed. "You might as well go to sleep, too. You'll need your strength for tomorrow."

He looked at her as if to say _You won't? _

"I'm sleep when I'm confident we'll be safe if I don't look after them. You don't need to concern yourself."

Noishe snorted, moving closer to her and lying down so that his head was on her lap. He gazed up and whined again.

"Fine. You can help me. Don't let me fall asleep."

--

Raine woke, several hours later, to a sudden disorienting motion as Noishe slipped his head out of her lap and her hands dropped roughly onto it. She glanced around quickly, checking for her charges – still there, peacefully asleep – and the state of the sky, which was still dark, though much grayer than the last time she had seen it – and glared at Noishe, who was trying to slip away quietly. "Just where do you think you're going?"

He ventured a doubtful whine.

"I believe I expressly told you to help keep me in a state of sentience. Am I to assume _you _were, in fact, keeping watch?" Noishe nodded his head up and down emphatically. Raine sighed. "Thank you, I suppose. Why are you leaving?"

He whined.

Raine sighed again. "I suppose I can hardly expect you to speak as well. Go, then, I can't exactly stop you. Be back by dawn." She fixed him with a stern look. "_Dawn. _Or we leave without you. We can't afford the risk of delaying any longer than absolutely necessary."

Noishe whined once more in assent and took off, loping through the trees until he disappeared.

Raine reached for her spear, which she had kept as there had been no opportunity to retrieve her rod or acquire a new one as of yet, and gripped it in an effort to keep herself awake. She decided that it would be easier to deal with an imminent enemy threat if she were standing and began to pace accordingly, tracing the shadows with her eyes each time.

Raine looked down at the spear, considering it. She had hardly had a chance to use it, as of yet, but surely the Desians – half-elves – would use weapons with some mana-channeling abilities? She could experiment now, at least, and it was hard to determine when she might have the time in the future.

Raine hefted the spear a bit higher and closed her eyes as she fed her mana through it, feeling the constriction within the shaft as metal amplified it, coiling it more tightly, and released it with great speed at the end as a smoking purple bolt that decimated a full square foot of grass.

"Astounding," Raine breathed reverently, hurrying over to assess the damage. Something with such great velocity and intent had to be the product of ancient magitechnology! Now that she thought of it, this staff was too light to be fully metal and wasn't the consistency of wood at all. It was polycarbonate! True polycarbonate! The likes of which hadn't been manufactured since the Ancient War!

This was certainly easier to use than a full cast of Photon or Ray. She'd always slightly envied Genis his offensive magic.

Raine spent the night in rapture, fully examining her new testing object and its effects. It was glorious. Simply _marvelous._

It was a wonder Genis and Lloyd slept through the night.

--

Raine heard someone blatantly crashing through the bushes a little ways away and a muffled 'Oops!', making her raise her spear immediately and point it in the direction of the noise while glancing back warily at Lloyd and Genis. Lloyd, who seemed to have somehow heard this though nothing else, yawned and sleepily pulled himself into a sitting position, looking around. "Colette? Did I fall asleep in class again? Where am I?" He blinked. "Oh. Hi, Raine. Wait, what's that noise? I thought I heard Colette. Where's Noishe?"

Raine heard another feminine 'Oops!', thought of Noishe's sudden departure, and received a glimpse of the future she did not like at all. This was confirmed as, not two seconds later, Colette crashed into the clearing, Noishe trotting behind her with another pack grasped between his jaws.

"Hi, everyone!" Colette chirped cheerfully, unmistakable in the breaking dawn as she got back up and giggled. "Good morning, Lloyd! Good morning, Raine! Are you guys alright?"

"How did you get here, Colette?" Lloyd asked, frowning in confusion. "You're the Chosen. You're not allowed to leave the village."

"But I was so worried when you got taken away by the Desians! Nobody else would do anything!" Colette protested. "So I snuck away at night and went to look for you. I went to Dirk and he told me that you guys had come by and left and were on the run, so then I went to go look for you, and then I wandered around until Noishe found me and led me here! Isn't he such a clever doggy?" She petted him on the head happily and leaned down to hug him, ignoring Noishe's whine of protest.

Raine glared down at the dog, who was looking sheepish as he ought. She pinched the bridge of her nose, tilted her head up, closed her eyes, and said distinctly, "Colette, you do realize the forest is very dangerous? You certainly shouldn't be wandering around in it in the dark on your own. There are many perils, and there are almost certainly Desians pursuing us, as well. It was a rash decision, though your heart was in the right place. We're all fine. I'm afraid you'll have to make your own way back to the village, as I'm assuming none of us are permitted there any longer and we cannot lose the time."

"Wait, you aren't coming back?" Colette's eyes widened in shock. "But you have to!"

"Raine? What's happening?" Genis asked from where he was still laying down, looking about in shock. "Wait, Lloyd? _Colette? _What are you doing here? How long did I sleep?"

"It's morning now, Genis," Raine told him, heaving a sigh and crossing over to her brother to inspect his mana with her powers. He seemed to be recovering nicely, she observed with relief. The spear she was careful not to use, but held it somewhat awkwardly. "Colette was just concerned for us. She'll be returning to the village shortly, which Noishe should have led her back to. Then we'll eat breakfast and leave."

"I'm not leaving you guys!" Colette adamantly declared, face glowing fiercely in defiance. "If you have to go, I'm coming with you! Lloyd's my best friend!"

"But Colette, you're the Chosen," Lloyd explained weakly. "You're not allowed. It's dangerous. You can't go off and save the world until you turn sixteen and receive your blessing from the oracle, remember?"

"So?" She jutted her lip out mulishly. "I'm not leaving you and Raine and Genis all on your own. I'm the Chosen. I'm supposed to help people, not just stay safe."

Raine tried to think of a way to explain it properly to the obstinate girl. "Colette, we're being hunted by the Desians. They wouldn't hesitate to kill the Chosen and there's no guarantee we can protect you. If you die, Sylvarant loses its hope of regeneration until a new Chosen is born of the mana lineage, casting our world even deeper into decline. Besides, you will make our group more conspicuous, and there is the problem of another mouth to feed as well. People will certainly also be alerted to your presence and you'll be searched for just as fervently. Things will, in fact, become twice as dangerous for us."

"I'm coming," Colette insisted stubbornly.

There was no arguing with that, much as they tried.

--

Raine couldn't take it anymore. It was not her incumbent weariness, the pounding sunlight, her incessant hunger, or even the feeling of constant danger. It was the _games. _The games … the games …

They were insufferable. Positively intolerable.

"I spy something … um … something green!"

"That tree?"

"Nope!"

"_That _tree?"

"Nope!"

"The grass?"

"Nope!"

"Uh … Noishe?"

"Yep! You got it! Great job, Lloyd!"

"Yay, my turn! I spy something big and br – "

"That is _enough." _Raine came to an abrupt stop and drew herself up to her full height, eyes blazing. "This is ridiculous. I am certain that any travelers using the road, much less anyone actually _looking _for us, would have their wildest dreams realized if they came within two miles. From now on we will be using this time constructively. I shall continue your education. Let's begin. Colette, what is the fundamental teaching of the Goddess Martel?"

"To … um … to treat everyone with tolerance and respect as befitting the actions of the holy goddess," Colette answered, frowning.

"Good. Lloyd, what is the first Dwarven Vow?"

"Lying is the first step towards thievery!" Lloyd declared triumphantly.

"Excellent. Genis, name each wind spell and its according rank."

"Um, Air Thrust, first rank, Wind Blade, second rank, Air Blade, also second rank, Cyclone, third rank?"

"Correct. Now we'll move on from your strengths. Let's review mathematics. Who can answer what is 2 + 7?"

Genis snorted. "Nine, of course."

Raine favored him with a smile. "Of course. 5 + 9, Lloyd?"

"Um … uh … Eleven?"

Genis broke out in scornful laughter and both Lloyd and Colette looked confused. Raine sighed. "Lloyd, 5 + 6 is eleven. Nine is one less than ten and five is one half of ten. Five plus four makes nine. So what is five plus five plus four?"

"Um … thirteen?"

"No, Lloyd."

"Just how stupid _are _you?"

--

Needless to say, it was a very long day. Luckily, there were no pursuers, or they would have felt the force of Raine Sage's wrath. Luckily for Raine, too, since subterfuge is not accomplished by leaving a train of corpses in their wake.

--

The next problems came when they reached the desert.

"We shouldn't be going this way," Raine announced, stopping to survey the horizon and blinking at the way the sun rippled blindingly off the sand. "The desert has no water and has unsustainable living conditions, excepting oases, of which the nearest one is the Triet Desert, which is certainly too far to reach. At night the desert also turns bitterly cold. We may, however, be able to push onto the Ossa Trail."

"What's that, Raine?" Genis asked her.

Raine smiled at him and pushed a hand back to get her hair away from her sweat-soaked face. "It's a pass that will take us directly to Izoold, where we can hopefully find some sort of passage to Palmacosta and get lost among their vast population. It has been known to be infested with bandits, though, so be on your guard. We must also be very careful not to get too dehydrated in the desert or run the risk of passing out from exhaustion."

"We'll be careful, Professor," Lloyd joked, calling her the nickname he and Colette had unanimously dubbed her after what had become the most educational day of their lives in only three hours.

"See that you are."

"We will be, Professor, I swear!" Colette chirped cheerfully.

"Of course you will, Colette. Come on. Time to enter the desert."


End file.
